Daniel's Wish
– Granted on 16 Jun 2018

“I wish to meet horses”

When we learned that our Wish child, Daniel wanted to interact with horses, we were more than happy to accede to his wish. This would be a wonderful opportunity for the 14-year-old boy who lives with Hypoxic-ischaemic Encephalopathy, a brain dysfunction that causes developmental delays, and cognitive issues, to experience the emotional healing that science and medicine cannot offer. Horse riding therapy or Equine-assisted therapy is said to provide a form of physical and cognitive therapy to a range of disabilities such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, down syndrome and autism. Horses are soft-natured animals that speak to children with disabilities in a way that humans cannot.

Daniel is an animal lover and enjoys visiting the zoo with his friends as often as he can. His positive and happy personality, despite the trials he faces, is most inspiring. We planned a visit to Equal-Ark for him and his family to visit the specially-trained horses and experts. Equal-Ark is a charity that rehabilitates at-risk youths, persons with special needs, and the elderly with clinical depression and dementia by working with therapy horses.

Daniel was unable to ride the horses, but he got to feed, groom and stroke them. We relished in watching the tender way Daniel interacted with the horses and saw how his face lit up when each horse stood by his side, patiently allowing him to feel their soft hair and give them a good pat. Daniel also got to comb the horses’ mane, pop carrots into their mouths and watch a short display of the horses trotting! The joy, this outing to the stables brought to Daniel, could clearly be seen through the smile on his face and the reactions of his family members.

Witnessing the happiness this wish brought to the family and hearing their laughter reminds us of why we love what we do. Here at Make-A-Wish Singapore, we put in our best to grant every eligible child their wish and to make each wish truly memorable so that precious memories to last a lifetime can be made.